The NDIS (and your taxes) shouldn’t pay for
prostitution, By Coco Diaz. In August 2019, an alliance of Australian disability advocacy groups demanded the
Federal Government fund prostitution as part
of the National Disability Insurance Scheme
(NDIS). In their “Joint Position Statement
which calls for a rights-based framework for sexuality in the NDIS”, Disabled People’s Organisations Australia (DPOA) wants you to believe that disabled people in Australia are
being denied their fundamental right to have sex, and having the government pay for prostitution is an appropriate “sex positive” response. DPOA suggests that just because someone is disabled, their options for intimate sexual
relationships are limited, so they must use prostitutes to satisfy their sexual desires. DPOA is saying that disability makes it impossible for these people to form healthy intimate
relationships, so the Government should pay for disabled people’s use of prostitution -something it would never do for any other member of the public. DPOA’s negative attitudes towards disabled people’s ability to form healthy, intimate
relationships are harmful, untrue, offensive and patronizing. There are many examples of disabled people in healthy consenting relationships, in full view of the public. It is appalling that such stereotypes are coming from these (self-appointed) leaders of the disability community.
Organisations like DPOA refer to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to suggest that disabled people’s rights to sex and sexual expression can only
occur if the government pays for them to use the bodies of women and girls in prostitution. They also claim that State Governments had previously paid for sex services and that in
order to fulfil its promise that “no one would be worse off under the National Disability Insurance Scheme,” the Federal Government should now fund such activities. If it is true that State Governments were using public funds in this way, it was a (shameful)arrangement for particular individuals. There has never been an official, widespread, openly
practiced funding agreement in any state where the government paid for prostitution.DPOA’s policy statement additionally claims the ‘community supports this policy change.’ This is not true. If people knew that money was being taken out of their paycheck to pay for other people to use prostitution, they would certainly object. Another thing that is worth mentioning is that the DPOA press release is endorsed by Scarlett Alliance, Australian Sex Workers Association Vixen Collective, and Touching Base Inc
– and PDOA states that it has a long history of working with such sex organizations. Remember that these sex organisations that will get access to this money if the proposal is implemented - the conflicts of interest should be obvious! To see them named in a DPOA statement which claims to be ‘advocating for change for and on behalf of people with disabilities’ should ring alarm bells everywhere. On that alone we should be crying foul, so why is that not happening? Government funding should not be used to channel into prostitution in Australia. No one,on account of their disability status, is entitled to “sex services” just because they aredisabled. When the NDIS was proposed, no one said that funds were going to be directed into
prostitution. If they had, there would have been a community uproar. If people found out that it was happening now – that money they could be using on themselves, their families,
friends and loved ones, or on causes they support was being used on other people’s access to prostitution – they would be furious. Do not allow this misuse of public funds to happen. In prostitution, the main clients are men and those whose bodies are sold are almost always women and girls. If accepted, the policy proposals of DPOA will be spent almost entirely by disabled men. Women and girls who are prostituted will just be considered objects to be
used by these men. The links between human trafficking and prostitution are well known. And many of the women and girls who are prostituted have mental illnesses and other disabilities – but their voices are not being heard by DPOA. Selectively referring to UN Conventions – but not the
UN conventions that concern the rights of women and girls not to be exploited, abused and traded – is unacceptable.
Public statements by DPOA have also completely ignored the links between violence, rape, crime and prostitution. They take the position of the buyer – the ‘Johns.’ But they are completely silent on the issue of sex crimes against prostituted women and girls, even though many of these women and girls have mental illness, PTSD, major depression, and other disabilities.
This is a call to all Governments to ensure the protection of such women and girls and to oppose the misuse of public funds through prostitution. The community does not want their tax dollars being funnelled into prostitution through the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and women and girls who are being prostituted deserve better. Join me in opposing this exploitation of women and girls and this waste of public money. Please write to the Minister for NDIS Hon Stuart Robert MP, indicating that you do not want
NDIS funding to be used for prostitution. All letters help.
Below is a template for your letter, if you would like to use it.
The Hon Stuart Robert MP
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Minister for Government Services
Parliament House
CANBERRA, ACT 2600
I am writing to oppose the use of taxpayer dollars on prostitution and other sex services through the National Disability Insurance Scheme. This is a waste of public money, and is not how the National Disability Insurance Scheme was intended. I am aware that some disability advocacy groups are calling for government funds to be
used in this way and I oppose it. They selectively refer to some United Nations Conventions, but ignore the charter of rights of women, specifically those that recognise that women and girls have the right to be free from the exploitation and abuse involved in prostitution.
Do not fund sex services with public money. The use of tax dollars in this way is not consistent with community standards and is not how the NDIS should operate.
Yours truly, [Your Name]. ... See more
